Kendrick Lamar’s L.A. concert flexed his political might over Drake

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Kendrick Lamar’s Los Angeles extravaganza on Sunday capped off (for now) his successful 2024 campaign against famed rapper Drake. With a performance in his hometown of Compton on Sunday, called “The Pop Out,” the rapper and an assortment of famous Californians appeared to put the finishing touches on what has essentially been a political dispute disguised as an old-fashioned rap feud. Lamar’s was the sort of campaign that would make K Street proud. After performing his Drake diss "Not Like Us" four times in a row, Lamar gave what amounted to a victory speech flanked by an California-based musicians, activists, artists and others. Everyone was there, from NBA star Russell Westbrook to Krump dance legend Tommy the Clown and budding rap duo BlueBucksClan. “This s--- ain’t got nothing to do with no motherf---ing song at this point,” he said, posing for a group photo. “It ain’t got nothing to do with no back-and-forth records. It’s got everything to do with this right here. That’s what this s--- was about.” This was a moment that was steeped in nostalgia and cultural pride — and a clear shot at Drake. The remarks — and the photo — underscored the loaded meaning of this feud, which featured catchy but cutting lyrics that played on political themes such as Blackness, regional pride, power, privilege, access and, most importantly, authenticity. This was not an argument over who was the better rapper. It was a battle to determine who better represented hip-hop culture. Over a five-track flurry, Lamar used oppo research — infused with a heavy dose of conspiracism — to portray Drake as a manipulator, a misogynist, a grifter who clings to Black gangsta rappers for clout, a deadbeat dad and, quite literally, a “pedophile.” (Drake denied the allegations in a song written in response, saying he was "way too famous" not to have been arrested already if anything like that had happened.) And much like a skilled politician, Lamar largely made these critiques while ignoring some of his own problematic behavior. Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during The Pop Out – Ken & Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Wednesday. Timothy Norris / Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon In song, Drake downplayed and denied many of the claims made by Lamar. But reminiscent of other political campaigns these days, the fact that some of Lamar’s claims stemmed from some actual incidents involving Drake that have been known for years appears to have made it difficult for some listeners to dismiss them outright. In this campaign, Lamar was always angling to win rap’s version of the Electoral College vote more than the popular vote, trying to appeal to respected artists and influencers who could give him their stamp of approval. And in the end, he may have won the popular vote, too, breaking Drake's single-day Spotify record. The tactic seems to have worked. As in the actual Electoral College, Lamar’s concert showed that winning California can be a boon for one’s campaign.